George E. Theurer was elected mayor in 1955. His administration saw the mayor and council locked in nearly continuous controversy.
Born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1901, Theurer was a Huntington resident for more than 20 years, during which he was active in civic and political affairs. He was a deputy district governor of the Lions Club, served for a time on the Cabell County Democratic Executive Committee and later was a member of the Huntington Police Civil Service Commission.
For several years Theurer was the general chairman of the West Virginia High School Band Festival, which every year brought hundreds of young musicians to Huntington.
Prior to taking office as mayor, he was an automobile salesman. Later, he returned to his native Columbus, where he died in 1967.
